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1882 - 18 January. Skelton Shaft Mine,
John Richardson, a 'rapper' aged 19 was killed when a wagon left the
rails and crushed him in a 'shocking manner'. He died in Guisborough
Miners Hospital. The "Rapper" was a primitive Morse Code system for
communication
down the mines. The miners worked initially in inky blackness, only
illuminated by candlelight, which had to be used
sparingly. A cord or wire at one end was pulled by a lever and this
operated a metal clapper in another part of the mine
to indicate various operations. Tubs of iron ore were hauled by shire
horses often considerable distances to the shaft bottom
on a narrow gauge rail over undulating ground. The "rapper" operator
was often much younger than 19. There was little room
to escape accidents such as this in the dark between the heavy tubs and
the walls of pit props and stone.
4 Feb. Robert Jackson of Skelton was summoned for leaving his wife and three children chargeable to the common fund of the Guisborough Union. He was apprehended at Hull and agreed to pay the costs of £5 3s 4d and take his wife out of the workhouse. |
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1 April. Mr George Tarbitt, engineer of South Skelton Mine,
was presented with a 'very handsome timepiece of black and white
marble' and a gold watch
in recognition of his service at the mine.
10th June. North Skelton Mine. George Ward, aged 14, died of
injuries. 6 September. Skelton Park Pit. Joseph Winter, a miner aged 37, was killed by a fall of stone. "He was holding a light while his mate was baring down a piece of top stone left after a shot, when it suddenly fell and knocked a large prop down on him.." 23rd Sep. Micheal Meesham, miner of Skelton, was fined 10s and costs at Guisborough for being drunk and riotous at Skelton Green. |
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23rd Sep. Joseph Dixon, a miner of Skelton, was found guilty by Guisborough Petty Sessions of being drunk and riotous at Skelton. Fined 10 shillings and costs. Did not appear. Found drunk on Skelton Green by a police officer. 14th Oct. From the Middlesbrough News and Cleveland
Advertiser. 16 October. R Grainger, a labourer aged 60, was killed by a fall of stone while filling a tub. |
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14 November. Percy Bowes, a miner aged 41 was
killed. "blow on side from a tub, worked three weeks and then died."
Joseph Gott, a miner at N Skelton, was injured when a shot was fired before he could get out of the way. The miners drilled a hole 3 to 5 feet deep and exploded a charge to bring down the ore from the face. 16th Dec. John Winter was charged by John Pattinson, landlord of the Duke William with assaulting him and breaking a pane of glass - about closing time he came to the landlord's house and threw a stone through the window. Fined 30s and costs. 1883 - Building of the Miners Accident Hospital on
Boosbeck Rd, Skelton Green. |
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Tom Curnow, in his History, recalls seeing the ambulance
racing to the Hospital with an injured miner. "It was more like a coach really, made of polished wood with frosted glass windows and drawn by horses. Several times I have seen the horses galloping along the road towards Skelton Green and the ambulance bell clanging. Like a flash the news would spread through the village to cause concern as to who had been injured" 27th Jan. The following stood for election to Skelton School
Board:- 1st Feb - The Local Volunteers were renamed the 1st Volunteer Battalion, the Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment). The Headquarters were moved from Richmond to Northallerton. 7th April. John Moyce was boring for ironstone in Long Acres mine, Skelton, when a quantity of stone fell and crushed the lower part of his body. He died on the Saturday afternoon following the accident on the previous Wednesday. 11 May. South Skelton Mine. Robert Watson, a horse man aged 61, was killed. "While engaged removing two trucks he got his foot fast in crossing points and the trucks went over him." 28th July. William Backhouse was fined 7s 6d for trespassing on land owned by W D Petch. |
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4th Aug. Matthew White, a miner, was charged with assaulting
PC Calvert at North Skelton, near the railway bridge. He was ordered to
pay £1 fine and costs or a month's imprisonment with hard labour.
17 August. Skelton Park Pit. Hugh Rowe, a miner aged 32 was killed. "He had lighted two shots in a place, one of them not going off at the time he went back too soon, when it exploded." Inquest held at the New Inn, Skelton on 1st October following. Attended by Tommy Varty, manager, who explained with map of the workings where the accident occurred. 25th Aug. Henry Hull was fined 10s 6d for stealing peas from John Oakley at Skelton. 26th Aug. Eruption of Krakatoa, one of several in this year, was said to lower world temperatures by a significant amount. 7 Sep 1883, William Woodroof., a miner aged 57 died as a result of injuries received on 7 August. "Broken leg and ankle and other bruises by a fall of stone while baring." 8th Sep. John Pennington a gamekeeper on Mr Wharton's estate at Skelton was attacked by Robert White and John King with bludgeons. |
| He was hit on the head and had some fingers broken. 13
rabbits were recovered. The assailants were sent for trial.
New Skelton Infants School was built in this year and was enlarged in 1892. Six bells for the new church in the High St were cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. The iron industry had recovered and this was again a boom time for the mines. 24th Nov. Mr Elston, miner, was robbed of 14s 7d by a tramp between Skelton and North Skelton. Dec 11th. A Yarm parish magazine states - "the hurricane of December 11 - 12th 1883, was the worst that has visited for at least 20 years… ….lifting tiles, slates, chimney pots and hay stack tops all over the town and countryside." 15th Dec. Skelton Shaft Mine. Thomas West , a labourer aged 72, was killed. He injured his back and broke a leg when a 20 stone sack of grain fell on him. 22nd Dec James Walker, an apprentice of Skelton was charged with a breach of his indentures. He was bound to Thomas Lowe, bootmaker, for six years in 1881, but a month ago he disappeared. The lad said Mrs Lowe was always nagging about him eating so much. He was ordered to go back. |